Awkward
by cloverlover
Summary: Ron was sure she had felt it too. In that split second when their lips had met, there had been a spark between them. Her face was uncomfortably close to his, and he could hear her breathing, sharp but quiet. A blush was quickly blooming on her face, and he noticed, perhaps for the first time, that she was pretty, in a bookish way he had never seen before.


Awkward

_Little did Harry know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry._

_"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve._

_"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."_

_- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_

Hermione opened her well-worn copy of The Standard Book of Spells - Grade 1 and quickly thumbed through the pages until she found what she was looking for. "There!" She stabbed her finger at the title, which read in bold letters 'The Leg-Locker Curse'. The fire in the common room cast a soft glow onto the picture underneath, which was a small diagram of the wand movement required: a straight line slicing downwards, followed by a sharp right angle to the left, down, and right again.

Ron cocked his head to one side, his expression quickly becoming one of confusion. "So that's the spell Malfoy used on Neville?" he said dubiously. Hermione nodded, her bushy hair bobbing as she did, and Ron saw that her eyes were quickly skimming over the information below. "How do you say it, then?"

"According to what it says here," Hermione said slowly, "it should be 'LOH-koh-moh-tor MOR-tis'. Shouldn't be too hard." She got up from her armchair and shut the book with a snap. Carefully placing the book on the chair she had been sitting in, she turned again and looked at him. "What are you sitting there for?" she said haughtily. "Let's practice!"

"What?" Ron stammered. "I was hoping we learnt a little more - er - background information first..."

"Don't be silly, Ron. The best way to learn spells is practically. How else do you think I managed to do all those spells before school even started?"

Ron gulped, but glancing at the challenging look she gave him, be knew better than to argue. Sighing, he got up from his chair and stepped away from the warm fireplace, his wand out at the ready.

He had expected her to ask him if be was ready, perhaps do a countdown before they began cursing the heck out of each other, but he had barely steadied his feet before he came crashing to the floor, his legs stuck together. "Hermione!" he yelled in protest. "Unfair!" He looked up from his position on the floor and saw her laughing at him. Such was her mirth, she didn't notice his wand shoot out and him yelling, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

Hermione's wand floated out of her hand and suspended itself in midair. With a twirl of Ron's wrist, it spun upwards out of Hermione's reach. Hermione looked towards Ron, who had a triumphant grin on his face. Instead of trying to get it back, her expression twisted for a second, and all of a sudden, she began to look rather sheepish. Ducking her head slightly, she said, "I never thanked you properly for that."

Ron raised an eyebrow. What could Hermione possibly be talking about? He stared at her for a while, and after a few seconds, his face cleared as he remembered the troll incident.

"It's nothing," he said with a nonchalant shrug. "It was practically the only spell I could do properly at the time." He had forgotten about Hermione's wand, which was slowly coming back down to earth again. Hermione noticed this, and quickly caught it again before it could come crashing to the floor.

Hermione sighed and undid the Leg-Locker Curse with a flick of her wand. Grimacing slightly and rubbing his legs, Ron got up. "Well... thanks for saving my life." He grunted in response.

"Try again?" He nodded.

_"Locomotor Mortis!"_

"_Locotomor_- I mean _Lomocotor_- I mean - aaaaahhhhh..."

He was sprawled on the floor again. This time Hermione stood over him and giggled as he gazed hopelessly up at her. "I must say that was fair this time round."

"Oh, shut up."

"Come on, Ron. We're doing this for Harry." Hermione raised her wand, but Ron was faster than her. He rolled over onto his back, his wand pointing upwards at her feet wand, and stammered, "_Locomotor - Locomotor Mortis!_" Hermione gave a small squeak as she toppled over and promptly collapsed on top of him. Before either of them could register what was happening, her mouth accidentally bumped against his.

Ron was sure she had felt it too. In that split second when their lips had met, there had been a spark between them. Her face was uncomfortably close to his, and he could hear her breathing, sharp but quiet. A blush was quickly blooming on her face, and he noticed, perhaps for the first time, that she was pretty, in a bookish way he had never seen before. Her bushy hair tickled his cheek, and he turned his head slightly, but never breaking eye contact. They continued to stare at each other. Ron's mind was whirring. It had been an accident, but what could the chances have been for her mouth to land on his…?

To break the silence, Hermione winced and felt her lip. Ron could already see a bruise forming on the edge.

"Well, this is awkward," he said quietly.

**Author's Note:**

**This was a seriously random plot bunny that was hopping about while I was trying to fall asleep. I realise they're a bit young for this, but I couldn't resist xD Hope you enjoyed it, though!**


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